Leung Ho Yin, Simon's Bio
Simon is a well respected full-time thoroughbred racing commentator specializing in overseas international racing. Bringing with him a wealth of racing knowledge, Simon is the host and race caller for the overseas simulcast programme since 2008/09 season. He is currently the presenter on several racing television programmes including, ‘Racing Horizon’ and ‘Horse Racing – Results’.

Ascot Racecourse – Track Analysis (Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day):

Racing in a clockwise direction, the world-renowned Ascot Racecourse at south-west of London, is a triangular venue so distinguished of its enormous track width, featuring on top of which a 1600m home chute to accommodate straight contests at up to a mile.

For both the 1993m Prince of Wales’s Stakes and the Hampton Court Stakes, runners will dip right-handed into the Swinley Bottom promptly after the break; still, thanks to a more sedate pace as customary in deep routes, horses breaking from out wide still have plenty of time to position neatly. Meanwhile, on the straight course, where the 1000m Windsor Castle Stakes and both the 1600m Silver Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap) and the Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap) will be staged, starting positions are numbered reversely back in, where high post numbers will break from the stands side. When it comes to over-subscribed fields disputing the early lead on a firm track, this particular stands side, so usual for one contest too many in this Royal meeting, is the better place to be; that said, a rainy day would easily see this strip play in reverse. However back on the round course, fields for the 2392m King George V Stakes (Handicap) and the 2831m Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) will hit the first turn almost immediately after the start; yet again, thanks to a more pedestrian early pace, and an extended run on the backside, a bad stall is still manageable.

In all, be it straight dashes, or cruising around the full circuit, fields will have to fight for Ascot glory through that grueling 500m-plus homestretch, where another steep, sapping ascent suddenly looms in large right before the finish. On top of all the undulations throughout this course, front-runners do need more than a gargantuan effort to take the field all the way home.

In the 2019 running of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes contested in the rain and on soft turf, CRYSTAL OCEAN, prompting the overland route all race long, tracked the pace shrewdly before taking command at the top of the lane, and never relinquished the lead to prevail, whereas MAGICAL, also hounding the pace on the far side rail, could never catch the race winner, while WALDGEIST, clearly hampered on the soggy goings, launched a belated bid and was never a threat.

With rain teasing the London area through Wednesday, a slow track may be on deck for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes Day this year; should that be the case, runners sticking to the far side may be inhibited on less favourable goings.

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